Luminate has announced the recipients of the Luminate and Saltire Society Older Artist Bursaries. 

14 artists have been awarded funds ranging from £500 to £1,000, to support a varied number of career development opportunities. There is also an award of £2,000 from the Saltire Society's Inspiring Scotland Bursary, which will enable one artist to develop a new creative idea.

Carolyn Yates, a DGU Trustee and playwright, is one of the 14 recipients of the Luminate and Saltire Society Older Artist Bursaries. Carolyn will attend The Authentic Voice workshop with Susan  Worsfold. Susan Worsfold is an award winning theatre director specialising in the Nadine George Voice Work for which she is one of only 14 accredited teachers worldwide. Carolyn says: “I will use this opportunity to develop my writing “voice” giving it  a deeper physicality, a visceral quality that will enhance the performativity aspects as well as giving me performance skills to enhance  collaborative theatre-making.

Find out more from Luminate.

The Scottish Government has published its summary report on the analysis of responses to its consultation “A Culture Strategy for Scotland”.

The report is available from the Scottish Government.

A recent analysis by Dumfries and Galloway Council of the series of festivals and events held in the region in late 2018 has shown that they generated more than £6 million.

The 20th annual Wigtown Book Festival had an economic impact of £3.75m, the Electric Fields music festival £1.45m, the Stranraer Oyster Festival up to £1.1m and the Galloway Hills Rally £120,000.

The events covered in the analysis are all funded by the council as part of its Major Events and Festivals Strategy 2018-2021.

Read more from the BBC...

£847,250 of National Lottery Funding has been awarded to 41 recipients through Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund.  Among the recipients is Penpont-based author and poet Hugh McMillan.

The poet has received an Open Project award, to enable him to research and write a book called Littoral, about the coasts of Galloway, Isle of Man, north and western Ireland, north west England, the Isle of Man, Wales, Kintyre, Morvern and the Inner Hebrides.

McMillan, formerly a teacher at Annan Academy and Dumfries Academy, has received several bursaries from the Scottish Arts Council and Creative Scotland, and in 2014 was awarded the very first literature commission by the Wigtown Book Festival to create a work inspired by the 19th Century work 'The Scottish Gallovidian Encyclopaedia' by John Mactaggart.

Read more...

DG Unlimited held its 2018 conference at GG’s Yard, Laggan on Wednesday December 5th.
 
This day-long event  provided a forum for exchanging news and views, showcasing contemporary creative practice and sharing practical information. 

The packed programme included keynote speeches from Jim Buchanan, labyrinth maker and artist, and Catriona McGhie of the DG Arts Festival. There were live music performances, a spoken word performance delivered by Sue McCormick, acclaimed actor, writer and director, and ‘small-talk’ sessions where local creative practitioners and activists  discussed their experiences.

As 2018 is the Year of Young People, the conference also featured a call to action, led by Abby Gray of the National Youth Arts Advisory Board, and some of the region’s young people, based on the findings of a recent region-wide Youth Framework consultation.
 
This year’s conference also featured a Spotlight and Showcase zone, where groups and organisations involved in the creative sector can meet with delegates to share their ideas, work and services.

Read more about Creative Routes 2018.

A colourful new artwork has been created in Sanquhar to mark the crossing point of the Southern Upland Way and the cycle route from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

Artists Toubie Jack, Lorraine Melissa and David Rushton worked with Sanquhar Primary 7 pupils over the summer to create the artwork, a mural which brightens up the outside of the public loos, and on Tuesday 6th November they formally handed it over to Dumfries and Galloway Council.

David Rushton said: “The pupils and artists chose the theme to celebrate the meeting place of cyclists and walkers on two epic and challenging journeys. It was a really enjoyable project for everyone involved and was great for these young people to be involved in creating a piece of art that will last for many years. We’re also delighted to have had the opportunity to transform a very plain exterior into something the whole community, as well as visitors from all round the world, can enjoy.”

Toubie Jack showed the pupils how to paint landscape and forest scenes via a live TV link from her studio in Manchester, while David Rushton brought in bike parts and walking gear for the children to draw in the school art class. Toubie and Lorraine Melissa then worked with pupils at weekends to create the mural.

The project was funded through the Council and DGU’s Regional Arts Fund, which is now inviting applications for projects in 2019/20.

Councillor Andy Ferguson, Chairman of the Communities Committee, who received the mural on behalf of the Council, said: “This is an excellent example of how getting involved in the arts can help young people learn new skills while creating something really impressive, of which their whole community can be proud.”

Cathy Agnew, Chair of DG Unlimited, said: “I’m delighted to see the Regional Arts Fund supporting projects like this, which bring people of all ages together to develop their creativity and make a positive difference to their local area.”
 
Find out more about the Dumfries and Galloway Regional Arts Fund 2018/19.